1962 Morris MINI 1.0L Petrol · 3138 DN
1962 Morris MINI (1.0L, petrol). First registered 10 May 1962. Recorded mileage 191 miles. MOT expired on 29 Aug 2024.
- Make & Model
- MORRIS MINI
- Year / Origin
- 1962
- Safety Recall
- Unknown
- MOT Status
- Expired on 29 Aug 2024
- Road Tax
- —
- Recorded Mileage
- 191 mi
- ULEZ Compliance
- Check Required (Pre-Euro 4 Petrol)
- Fuel & Engine
- Petrol · 1.0L
- Reliability Guide
- Common Faults
Thinking of buying this vehicle? Free MOT and tax checks do not cover legal ownership. If outstanding finance exists, finance companies have legal right to repossess without compensation.
3138 DN Key Findings
- 3 MOT tests recorded
- Latest MOT passed on 31/08/2023
- 191 miles recorded at latest MOT
- 1 historical MOT failure
- 2 defects noted at the latest MOT
- Recurring brakes items (2 mentions)
Derived directly from the recorded DVSA and DVLA data shown on this page.
3138 DN MOT History
Interpretation generated from the recorded test data above — not an official DVSA statement and not a substitute for an independent inspection.
3 MOT tests are recorded for this 1962 Morris Mini (3138 DN) between March 2023 and August 2023.
The record contains 2 passes and 1 failure.
The most recent test on 31 August 2023 was a pass, although the earlier record includes 1 failure that buyers may want to investigate.
Across all tests, the most frequently flagged areas are: Brakes (2 issues), Suspension (2 issues), Lighting (1 issue). Repeated mentions in one area can indicate an ongoing pattern worth checking in person.
In total 4 advisory notices are recorded. Advisories flag items that passed but may need attention before the next test; they are not evidence of how well the vehicle has been serviced.
Recorded failure items include: “Offside Rear Brake pipe connection leaking on a hydraulic braking system (1.1.11 (b) (ii))”; “Headlamp aim too high both (4.1.2 (a))”; “Brake performance unable to be tested (1.2.1 (g))”.
3138 DN Mileage History
- 03/03/202337,282 mi
- 31/08/2023191 mi-37,091 mi
- 31/08/2023191 mi
Average of roughly -74,820 miles per year across 3 recorded odometer readings.
Recorded mileage decreased between one or more tests — a potential clocking indicator worth verifying before purchase.
Technical Specifications
Core Specifications
Identification & Status
Dimensions & Weights
Diagnostic & Valuation Intelligence
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Known faults for Morris Morris Mini-Minor
Our database tracks 4 specific mechanical faults and recurring failure patterns identified across UK MOT testing stations for this generation.
MOT Roadworthiness: Poor
This rating reflects historical MOT pass rates and recurring advisory wear patterns from official DVSA test logs. Note that roadworthiness does not verify outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen records.
Verify lender finance agreements, insurance write-offs, police stolen registers, and mileage rollback.
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MORRIS MINI Model Intelligence & Reliability
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Historical MOT pass rates and DVLA records for 1962 model year cars.
- Subframe, A-panel and floor rotSerious
On the classic Mini the corrosion sits on structural parts, and the buying guides list it in one breath: the A-panels at the wing/door joint, the front and rear subframes and their structural mounting points, the floors, inner and outer sills, the front wings and headlamp surrounds, the boot floor and battery box, and the door bottoms. Rear subframe towers inside the boot corrode from condensation, and floors rot under carpets where door and windscreen seals have perished. Because the subframes carry the suspension and steering, corrosion there changes handling and can fail an inspection — and a car that looks straight on the road often hides a rotten subframe under the paint it was restored with.
- A-series head gasket failure and oil contaminationSerious
The A-series engine is the weak link in every classic Morris, and the 1275cc unit introduced in 1964 ran its bore around the maximum the block allowed with very little metal between the middle cylinders — a design compromise that often contributed to head gasket failures. In the Mini the problem is amplified by the layout: the gearbox shares the engine's oil, so a failed gasket or an overheated engine contaminates both, and the tell-tale is an emulsion on the filler cap. Head gasket failure on an overheated A-series is one of the most common expensive faults, and it usually means pulling the head and having the block and head professionally checked for straightness.
- Gearbox wear from the shared engine sumpModerate
The Mini's four-speed sits underneath the engine and both run in the same oil, which is a triumph of packaging and the reason gearbox wear is so normal on these cars. Worn synchromesh and a rattly box are described as common but rebuildable, and the classic symptom is baulking or crunch on second gear; the wear is accelerated by owners who never change the oil, since the gearbox bath picks up metal from both units. Because the box is bolted to the bottom of the engine, a rebuild means dropping the whole unit out, which is what pushes the labour cost above the parts cost and makes service history worth more than a shiny engine bay.
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